Stargate Atlantis comes to an end tonight, with the series finale premiering on the SCI FI Channel in the United States. All week long we’ve been reminiscing about our favorite episodes for five main characters, and today we finish up with Specialist Ronon Dex. But we’re not done celebrating the series yet! Come back this weekend to find out what might have happened in a sixth season of Atlantis, and head over to GateWorld Forum to talk about your favorite memories of the show with fans around the world. Also watch for two special Atlantis podcasts later this month.

When the decision was made to write Lt. Aiden Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks) off the show after its first season, the producers needed a replacement. They created the character of Ronon, a strong, silent type who had been on the run from the Wraith during the seven years since his home planet was annihilated. To play the new character they found Jason Momoa, a 26-year-old Hawaiian native (raised in Iowa) who had established himself on such shows as Baywatch and North Shore. During the show Jason became the father of two, with girlfriend and actress Lisa Bonet.

The first thing we noticed when selecting our five favorite episodes is that, in four years, there aren’t a lot of episodes that could be called “Ronon-centric.” And so a lot of his character is missing here. His hostile relationship with the Wraith Michael deserves mention (“Michael,” “Allies,” “The Prodigal”), as does his friendship with and loyalty to Sheppard (“Sunday”) and his brotherly relationship with Teyla (“Be All My Sins Remember’d”). Of those that can be called Ronon episodes, here our favorites:

5. RUNNER
(Season Two, Episode 3)

Ronon’s introduction to the Atlantis team came under extraordinary circumstances, as Lt. Colonel Sheppard and his team went to a densely forested world in search of their rogue friend, Lt. Ford. Sheppard and Teyla were captured by Ronon, who held them tied up in a cave while he considered whether or not to kill them. When they learned just who (and what) he is, they brought Dr. Beckett from Atlantis to dig the Wraith transmitter out of his back — and set him free.

“Runner” was a nice introduction to the character, showing him as a rogue warrior himself, one who couldn’t be bested at hand-to-hand combat (even by a U.S. military officer hopped-up on Wraith enzyme). The guy was dangerous, and there was a sense that by bringing him to Atlantis Sheppard was playing with fire. (It’s unfortunate that he didn’t stay quite so dangerous — just moody.) But after years on the run, here he learned that he could finally settle down and start trusting other people.